Box filling machine



Sept. 28, 1937. D. M. M BEAN ET AL 2,094,460

BOX FILLING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO INVENTOR DouLAs M Ma BEAN. l V/Lggvw T MAZT/IV.

ATTORNEY p 1937. D. M. M BEAN ET AL 2,094,460

BOX FILLING MACHINE I Filed March 21, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQOUGLA s M Ma BEA N- ATTORNEY Sept. 28, 1937. D. M. McBEAN ET AL2,094,460

BOX FILLING MACHINE Filed March 21 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 73$, 27/,Juli ATTORN EY Sept. 28, 1937. D. M MCBEAN ET AL BOX FILLING MACHINEFiled March 21, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ii i ' INVENTOR Dal/ 4 45 MMCBE'AN.

WALL/AM T MAew/v.

BY (3mm. 2 aw /kw? ATTORN EY Se t. 28, 1937. a D. M. M BEAN ET AL2,094,460

' BOX BILLING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E "unm-YIIlI'IIIILFl/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIY INVENTOR DOUGLAS M Ma BEA/v.

MAL/AM 7. MART/N.

BY /4 BMM,}N, Jars M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATESBOXFILLING MACHINE Douglas M. McBean and William T. Martin, Canajoharie,N. Y., assignors to Beech-Nut Packing Company, Canajoharie, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application March 21, 1935, Serial No. 12,286

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for filling boxes andcomprises an improved machine of this type particularly adapted forfilling small boxes, as for example, candy boxes, with an assortment ofdifferent articles. More specifically, the invention comprises animproved machine adapted to deliver to a box a controllable number ofeach of various kinds of articles whereby each box, when filled, willcontain the same assortment both as to variety and as to proportions.The improved machine has particular value in the filling of boxes ofassorted hard candies, and for convenience such application of theinvention will be described and illustrated. It Will be understood thatthe invention in its broadest aspect is concerned with the novelfeatures of the improved machine and not with the particular articleshandled thereby.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, of which---- 7 Fig. 1 is a front View of amachine embodying the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are side and top plan views respectively of the machine ofFig. 1;

I Fig. 4 is a rear view of the upper portion of the machine drawn on aslightly enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

@Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. V

Fig, 7 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the articleconveyor; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional View along the line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

In general, the machine illustrated in the drawings comprises an articleor candy supplying means 2, dividedby partitions 4 into a plurality ofcompartments 5 to 13 inclusive, a candy carrier or conveyor I l forminga movable floor for the compartments of the sup-plying means, a funnel[6 divided by partitions l8 into compartments I9, 20, Zland 22, eachadapted to receive the candies from the conveyor l4, and box feedingmeans 24 adapted to move boxes 26 into position beneath the funnel It toreceive the candies from the various compartments thereof.

' The traveling conveyor I4 comprises a plurality of parallel slatsarranged with their lateral edges in juxtaposition and secured at theirends by suitable bolts to links of chain belts 28. Certain of the slatsof conveyor M are provided with a series of indentations or pockets 3!)of a size sufficient to receive one, and only one, candy 32. In theparticular embodiment of the invention illustrated, pairs of slatsprovided with the pockets alternate with pairs of slats in which thereare no pockets.

' The candy supplying means 2 is in the form of a hopper and ispositioned above the conveyor l4 so that'candies in the variouscompartments thereof will drop into the pockets 30 and be carried alongtherein as the conveyor passes beneath the compartments. The partitions4 are removably secured to the front wall of supply 10 means 2 and areheld in spaced relation by means of a pair of slotted brackets 34 on theforward end of the receiving means and a bar 36 which is positionedhorizontally over the top of the machine and to which are bolted aplurality of 15 connecting members 31 secured to the partitions 4.Slotted bars 38 positioned at the rear of the receiving means alsoassist in supporting and spacing the partitions 4. Brackets 34, and bars38, as indicated, are each provided with a sufiicient number of slots topermit the insertion if desired of a partition between each pocket 30 ofthe conveyor. The front wall of supply means 2 and bar 36 are eachperforated to accommodate sufiicient additional connecting members forthe full number of partitions. In the drawings, eight partitions areshown, dividing the supplying means into the nine compartments 5 to l3inclusive, of which compartments 5, 6, I, ll, I2 and I3 span two pockets30, central compartment 9 spans four pockets, and intermediatecompartments 8 and ID each span three pockets. .When it is desired toreduce the number of candies to be carried from any particularcompartment of the supplying means 2, a plug 39, of a size to fill apocket 30, may be inserted into a pocket and secured therein by screwmeans; the base. of each pocket 30 being provided for this purpose witha centrally disposed threaded hole 4| (see Fig. 8). For simplicity, thescrew holes ll have not been illustrated in all of the drawings. In theparticular embodiment of the invention illustrated, plugs 39 areinserted in the end pockets of one of each pair of pocketed slats of theconveyor.

In operating the machine, each of the compartments of the supplyingmeans is first filled with a supply of difierent flavored candy. Theconveyor l4 which is suitably driven by means hereinafter described,tends to carry the candies upward toward the funnel I6. Before reachingthe funnel, the conveyor passes under a rotating brush or drum 40 whichrotates in a. direction to prevent egress from the receiving means ofall candies except those within the pockets 30.

When the slats of the conveyor carrying the candies 32 thus mcve beyondthe drum 48 and reach a position over the funnel Iii, the candies fallfrom the pockets 39 into the several compartments of the funnel. Asshown best in Fig. 3, the end compartment 99 will receive candies whichhave been carried from the three .compartments t and i of the supplyingmeans, compartment 25 will receive candies from compartment 8 and willreceive half of the candies g receive four of one flavored candy and sixof a different flavored candy. These candies fall through the funnelcompartments, pass shutter controlled outlets 42 (Fig. 6) at the base ofthe funnel compartments and drop through directed passages in a fixedblock 43 into the boxes 26 and fill them to about one-quarter of theircapacity. A shutter 44 closes the outlets 42 during movement of theboxes from one receiving position to the next as hereinafter described.When the pockets of the next pair of slats are emptied into the funnel,compartment it: deposits candy into a fresh box 25, compartment 2%deposits candy into the box 26 which had previously been onequarterfilled from compartment l9, and which, during the interim has been movedfrom one candy receiving position to the next. This same box 26, duringthe next filling operations, receives candy successively fromcompartments 2i] and 2| and thereafter moves to the closing and wrappingstation (not shown).

The endless conveyor id and chains 28 to which it is secured may becoupled by any suitable means to the main drive shaft 45 of the machine.Preferably, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2, a clutch 48 is provided for,disconnecting the conveyor driving mechanism from the main drive shaft.In the particular machine illustrated, the chains 28 pass over alignedsprockets on a pair of shafts 56 and 52 of which the latter is drivenfrom an auxiliary drive shaft 54 by means of sprockets 56 and 58 and achain belt 60. turn driven from a shaft E32 by means of sprockets 84 and65 and a chain belt 68. Shaft 62 is coupled, by means of clutch 4B,intermeshing gears Iii, shaft '62, and chain it to drive shaft 46.Clutch 48 is controlled from the rear of the machine by means of asuitable lever it. A control lever I8, also at the rear of the machine,controls a main clutch SIB (Fig. 1) for stopping and starting the entiremachine.

Shaft 58 has secured thereto a pair of sprockets 82 over which pass thechains 28, and which, together with shaft 5d, are movable toward andaway from the shaft 52 to permit of assembly of the conveyor mechanism.As shown best in Fig. 2, the means for moving the sprockets 82 and shaft55 comprise a pair of threaded bolts 84, secured at one end to thesprockets 52 and each mounted ina pair of threaded nuts 86. Nuts 85 arerotatably mounted in bearings 88 secured on a support frame es. Frame98, which is supported from a platform 52 of the machine, by

Shaft 54 is inmeans of girders 94, has secured thereto brackets 96carrying the supplying means 2. Frame also carries a plurality of shafts88 at the ends of which are carried idler sprockets 99 for guiding andpositioning the chain belts 28 of the conveyor.

Brush .8 is driven from shaft 52 by means of sprockets Iiifi and chainlei.

To prevent sticking of the candies in the pockets 30, means are providedfor jarring the slats of the conveyor M as they pass over the entranceto funnel is. These means (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4) include a plurality ofrollers each mounted in the forked end of a rod 5&4 secured to a crossbar H56 and a plurality of tension springs I98 each secured at one endto the rear wall of funnel l6 and at its other end to one of a pluralityof rods Ht mounted on the cross bar i'Bii. Bar ittis rotatably mountedin bearings I l2 secured to the side walls of funnel it. With thisarrangement, as the slats of conveyor it move past the opening to funnelis and the unsecured edges thereof extend outwardly from the curvedsurface of the chains 28, the rollers ride up on the slats, rocking thecross bar IE6 against the tension of springs I98. With the continuedmovement of the conveyor, the rollers clear the extended edge of a slatand the springs its force the rollers against the succeeding slat withsufficient impact to dislodge all candies 32 from the pockets 3E3.

The shutter 44 controlling the outlets 42 from the funnel compartmentsshould be moved in fixed or timed relation with the conveyor mechanismand box feeding means. For this purpose a rack H4 is secured to theunder side of the shutter and is reciprocated by means of one of a pairof pinions H6 secured to a short horizontal shaft H8 (Figs. 5 and 6).The other pinion II6 meshes with a vertically movable rack I26 (Fig. 2)secured to a rod I2I which is reciprocated by means of a pivoted leverI22, one end of which is coupled to the rod HI and the other end ofwhich carries a cam roller I24 which rides in a cam groove I25 on a camI26 (Fig. 4). Cam I26 is mounted on a shaft 928 geared to the drivenshaft I2 by pinion gears I36 (Fig. 1). Thus, when the machine is inoperation, shutter 44 is reciprocated to alternately open and close theoutlets 42 from the funnel compartments. As shown in Fig. i, the shapeof cam groove I25 is such as to insure quick opening and closingmovements of shutter 44 with .a relatively longer period of closurethereof.

The means for feeding the boxes 26 by a step by-step movement may besuch as have heretofore been used in box filling machines. In theparticular embodiment of the invention illustrated, these means includea box sup-porting framework I32, and a box spacing and aligning deviceI34 having spacing fingers 535. Device I34 is rigidly secured to ahorizontal shaft E35, which is mounted in suitable fixed bearings i3l.Shaft I36 is adapted to be rocked about its longitudinal axis by meansof an operating arm I38 and to be longitudinally reciprocated by meansof an operating lever I48. Arm I38 is keyed to shaft I36 by means of asleeve I4I having a flattened surface cooperating with a flattenedsection I42 on the shaft to insure rocking of the shaft upon verticalreciprocation of arm I38 while permitting longitudinal movement of theshaft within the sleeve. Lever I49 is coupled to shaft I36 by means of aroller secured to one end of the lever and engaging a circumferentialgroove in a collar I44 secured to. the shaft. Armies is recipr'ocated:

by suitable cam means I46 secured on a shaft I48 driven from shaft I28by bevel gears I50 and lever I40 is oscillated by suitable cam means I52secured on a short auxiliary shaft I54 driven from shaft I48 (Fig. 3).The arrangement of the box feeding ,means above described is such thatduring movement of shaft I36 to the left, as

viewed in Fig. 4, the fingers I35 of device I34 advance the boxes 26along the framework I32 a distance corresponding to the distance betweenadjacent outlets of block 43. Arm I38 is then moved downwardly to rotateshaft I36 into a position where the fingers I35 .are lifted out of.

engagement with boxes 26 and the shaft is maintained in this angularposition during movement of the shaft by arm I40 to the right handposition. The fingers then descend to engage the succeeding boxes whichare similarly advanced during the next longitudinal movement of shaftthey advance into position beneath compartments l9 .and 20.

Also, if desired, suitable means may be provided for gently tapping theboxes during filling to prevent candies from sticking to the inner wallsof the boxes and thereby clogging the entrance to the box. Means forsuch purpose are indicated in part in Fig. 2 as including a tappingfinger I58 which may be rocked by means of an operating arm I60 coupledto any suitable driven shaft of the machine.

From the above description, it will be apparent that with the machineset up as illustrated and with a different variety of candy in each ofthe nine compartments of the supply means, each box 26 will be filledwith an assortment of nine different candies. If it is desired toincrease the number of kinds of candy in each box it is only necessaryto insert a corresponding number of additional partitions in the supplymeans. If fewer kinds of candy are desired in the assortments, some ofthe partitions 4 may be removed or two or more of the compartments maybe filled with the same kind of candy. If it is desired to reduce thetotal number of candies per box without reducing the number of kindsthereof, the reduction may be made either by plugging up the desirednumber of pockets or by increasing the number of compartments andleaving some of them empty. Thus the invention comprises a completelyautomatic machine for filling boxes with an assortment of candies or thelike that is simple to operate and that may be readily adjusted to varynot only the total number of articles per box but also the variety ofthe articles and the number of each different kind of article.

It will be understood that the invention in its broadest aspects is notlimited to the particular constructional features illustrated and thatvarious changes might be made or various parts omitted without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims.

The following is claimed:

1. A machine for filling boxes with a predetermined assortment ofarticles comprising in combination, article supply means, means fordividing said supply means into a plurality of compartments, an endlessconveyor forming a movable floor for the compartments of the supplymeans and adapted to carry articles therefrom, driving means for saidconveyor, article delivery and directing means positioned to receive thearticle's carried from said compartments by saidconveyor and .means forfeeding boxes intoaposi tion to receive articles from said deliverymeans whereby, when each of saidcompartments .of: said supply meanscontains edifferent-articles,

each box is filled with an assortmentjcomprising articles from eachcompartment of said supply means, said delivery and directing. means.includingta plurality of compartments each positioned to receivearticles carried by different longitudinal areas of said conveyor andeach provided with a separate. outlet, and means for intermit-e tentlyopening and closing saidoutlets, and said box feeding means includingmeans for progres-v sively. advancing a row ,of boxes into positionbeneath said separate outlets whereby eachbox will be progressivelyfilled with articles from each of said last mentioned compartments. 1 I1 2. In a machine for filling boxes, the combination comprising anarticle supplying meansprovided with a plurality of compartments,an:;end-, 25.

less conveyor forminga .movablejfioor for the; compartments of saidsup-plying means and provided with a plurality of pockets, meansfordriv-, ing said conveyor in a direction to .causeeach pocket thereof topass beneath but one compart;

ment of said supply means whereby when-the compartments are filled withdifferent articles-a, corresponding variety of articles will. becarried; therefrom in the pockets of said conveyor, article;

delivery and directing means positioned to receive articles falling fromsaid'conveyor pockets as; the conveyor passes from the upperto-zthelower stretch and means for feeding boxes into position to receivearticles from said delivery means.

3. The combination according to claim 2 ineluding a shutter operatingwhen closed to prevent articles from leaving said delivery means, andmeans for intermittently opening and closing said shutter wherebyarticles are delivered from said delivery means only when said boxfeeding means has fed a box into position to receive the same.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said conveyor comprisesa plurality, of slats arranged with their lateral edges in juxtapositionand wherein means, operated by the slats during their passage from theupper to the lower stretch of the conveyor, is provided forintermittently jarring the conveyor to prevent sticking of the articlesin said conveyor pockets.

5. A machine for filling boxes comprising in combination article supplymeans including an open bottom hopper and a plurality of parallelremovable partitions therein dividing the hopper into a plurality ofcompartments, an endless conveyor having longitudinally displaced groupsof article receiving pockets therein and forming a movable floor forsaid supply means, means for driving said conveyor in a directionparallel to the partitions of said sup-ply means, funnel meanspositioned to receive articles from said conveyor pockets, a shuttercontrolling delivery of articles from said funnel means, means forfeeding boxes into position to receive articles from said funnel means,and means inter-related with said conveyor driving means and with saidbox feeding means for intermittently opening and closing said shutterwhereby articles from diiferent groups of said conveyor pockets may bedelivered to different boxes.

6:. Azmachine according .to claim ;wherein said;

funnel: means: includesia plurality; ofi compart merits: eachipositioned; to:- receive articles: from; pocketx: of. different:longitudinal areaseof: said conveyor ameaclnhavingza separate outlet:controlledt by saidi shutter andz wherein said box feeding means;includes meanss fors' progressively; advancing arrow? of; boxesinterposition beneath said" separate: outlets whereby; each box' Will'be progressively 'fillediw-ith articles fromzeac'hziimnel" compartment;7

'7. Albaxfilling: machine: comprising: in: combi-a nation'. article.supply means having a plurality of separate: compartments", an endlessconveyor: formingca rm'ovablesfloorrofi thecompartments lofthe'supp'ly'meansi amt provideob with. a plurality" of spaced articlereceivingLpockets; article-delivery; means liavinginletiaandioutletpassages;and:posi.-=

tionedxto receiveiarticles falling from the pockets 1 ofl'saidiconveyor'as the. conveyon'passes: from...the:2

upper." to. the. lower: stretch; box' feeding means for deliveringboxesinto' position-to receive articles from the outlet? passages: ofthe delivery means; a shutter controlling said outlet passages andmechanism for continuously moving said conveyor and for intermittentlymoving said shutter'whereby: when the compartments of saidsupply-meanscontain different kinds of articles, boxeswill be filled with anassortment'thereof and the number of' a. certain kind'of articledelivered to a box willd'epend upon the number of pockets in the portionof'the conveyor forming the movable floor of the compartmentcontainingthat particu- V larkind of article. 8; In a box fillingmachine, the combination comprising article supply'means divided into aplurality of compartments each adapted to. containza'plurality ofdifferent, articles, article deliv cry/and directing;means divided intoatplurality oficompartment's and eachhaving a separate, out let; means:for: conveyingaa: predetermined numberv of; articles'ifrom eachcompartment of said supply'means to apredeter-mined one of saidcompartments-of the delivery means,.and means for progressivelyadvancing a ro-w'ofboxes into' position beneath said separate outletswhereby each box will be'progressively' filled With a pluralityofarticles'from'each compartment of the delivery anddirecting-means. I

t 92* In a machine for filling boxes, the combinationcornprisinganarticlesupplying means provided with a plurality of 1 compartments? anendless conveyor forming a movable floor for the compartments of saidsupplying means and provided' witlra plurality of pockets; means fordrivingsaidconveyor in a direction tocause each pocket thereof to 1pass' beneath but one compartment of said supply-means whereby when thecompartments'are'filled witndifferent articles a

